Sex In Patrica Weitz's College Girl

College Girl by Patrica Weitz follows college senior Natalie Bloom as she navigates through relationships. When she first meets Patrick, he appears to be her perfect guy. However he soon begins to pressure Natalie to perform sexual acts which triggers her downward spiral. As Natalie puts herself in uncomfortable and dangerous situations, she struggles to find her identity in her academic and social circles. I first must give a disclaimer: this book contains a lot of sex. It is an adult fiction book that is intended for mature readers. I do not make it my habit to read books that explicitly talk about sex in such a vulgar way and debated if I should write a review for the book. However, I do think that this book does add something to the conversation

It is well written. Weitz’s sentences have a natural flow and her voice is crisp. She paints vivid pictures; the words are engaging. Each character is well developed and has a unique personality that is very realistically. However, the plot seemed unrealistic. Even though Natalie’s relationship with Patrick is the catalyst for her break down, it is clear that she had issues long before she met him. She grew up in a dysfunctional family that lacked good communication skills. Natalie’s sense of self worth came from her ability to achieve high grades and a few mistakes crumple her confidence. It seems unrealistic that her problems would be magically solved by a new relationship and a quick conversation with her parents. This story could have depth but was poorly executed. I was disappointed by the two flawed views of sex discussed. On one hand are Natalie’s conservative parents who do not enjoy sex. They consider it filthy and wrong, even within the context of marriage. On the other hand is Natalie’s classmates and friends perspective. To them, sex is not a big deal. Casual hookups are encouraged, even if one or both parties were involved with another person. As a believer in Christ, I cannot condone the premarital sex that Natalie and her friends partake in. However, I also believe that within the context of marriage, sex is something that can and should be